When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 35



Only Noblemtl

#35. Cloudy Sky
2024.02.04.

She swallowed her sigh and pressed hard.

“Let’s go back.”

“Why? This must be your first time here, so enjoy it a little more.”

“This isn’t a place to have fun in the first place. And could you please step away?”

He dug his face a little deeper. Ticklish breath brushed past her cheek and stopped at her ear.

“No. I don’t like it. I like this position.”

“Do you want to be the subject of a scandal? I thought you didn’t like it because you’re so clean.”

“Well. Let’s have our first experience.”

Emilia’s eyes sank. She lowered the hand that was holding his shoulder as if she couldn’t do it. Fortunately, he obediently raised his head when she pushed hard on his upper chest.

“I have to leave early tomorrow. Unlike the people here, I have to prove my worth by moving diligently.”

She was always busy struggling and struggling, but the situation that easily changed with every word he said made her feel miserable. Even though she had expected it to some extent and had prepared herself before signing the contract with him, she couldn’t help feeling this way.

Emilia calmly grabbed his arm so that her emotions wouldn’t become her attitude. Pushing away the hand on her waist, she led him out of the floor in an escorted position.

Enrico looked down at her quietly. The corners of her mouth were drawn up under the white mesh on her mask. He had told her to smile, but somehow it bothered her that she was acting like an emotionless doll.

A strange silence flowed between them, and soon everyone’s eyes followed him behind him, but unlike the cold outside air, their interest quickly faded in the heated atmosphere.

However, one person, Alessandro’s gaze, didn’t leave her gaze until they had completely disappeared. A strange color flashed across her pale purple eyes.

***

Sunday morning dawned. Emilia got up from her tired body and stretched as usual.

‘His Highness the Crown Prince said he would contact me today? But how would he do it?’

Feeling her stiff body loosening up a little bit all night, she slowly walked towards the window. When she slightly opened the curtains, she saw the gloomy sky.

Emilia, who was muttering as if passing by, wondered if it would rain today, blinked at the sight of a person riding a bicycle from afar. When she quickly got closer, she noticed that he was not wearing a postman’s uniform.

However, when she saw him standing in front of the house and taking out an envelope from his bosom, she could guess that he was a messenger who had come to deliver a letter personally.

‘Is he sent by His Highness?’

Emilia, who thought of Alessandro, left the room wearing a blue gown with a fancy pattern. She heard Zaveta talking to the messenger.

“Who should I tell you that this letter is from?”

“You’ll know when you open it. That’s all for now.”

When she reached the living room, she watched the messenger leave quickly for a moment, then turned around and met Zaveta’s eyes.

“Miss, are you awake? “ Don’t sleep any longer.”

“I woke up early. What’s that?”

“Oh, this letter? It’s a letter from you, but you can only find out the sender if you open it. Should I look at it first?”

“No, it’s okay.”

Emilia shook her head and held out her hand. She carefully handed the letter to Zaveta and headed to the kitchen, saying she would prepare breakfast quickly. After watching Zaveta’s back for a moment, Emilia moved to the sofa and opened the envelope.

As expected, the sender was Alessandro. The letter simply said that he had something important to say and that he would send a carriage for lunch today, so he should take it and come to Maison Grand Restaurant.

Emilia sighed as she put the letter in the envelope. Going to a restaurant that others find difficult to visit again. It must be a famous place for being private among the nobility. Judging from the fact that the duke and crown prince were asking to meet there.

‘I don’t have to worry about rumors.’

She didn’t know what he was trying to say, but she just hoped that the conversation wouldn’t be too long. Since she kept meeting Alessandro, whom she had never met before, she felt like her life had become more distorted since she met Enrico.

She just hoped that the truth about her parents’ deaths would be revealed properly. Otherwise, all of this would be useless.

Another sigh crossed Emilia’s lips.

Alessandro had sent an ordinary carriage that was not noticeable. Emilia, wearing an outing dress and a hooded coat, rode in the carriage and headed to Maison Grand Restaurant. The

staff member must have been told in advance and guided Emilia straight to her room. When she opened the door, she saw Alessandro standing up from the table by the window. As soon as the staff member took off his coat and left, Emilia slightly bowed and greeted him.

“His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Emilia, you don’t have to be so formal. We’ve only met once or twice, so it feels too distant.”

I only saw you when you were young, so aren’t we distant friends? Emilia wondered inside, but she simply said she understood. She sat down on the chair he kindly gave her and waited quietly.

The man sitting across from her smiled slightly with a regretful expression.

“This is our first meal together, and the weather is bad. I hope it won’t rain when we go back.”

“Yes. The weather is a bit cloudy, but I think it might rain around dinnertime.” She

wanted him to skip over such greetings and get straight to the point. As she answered, Emilia kept wondering why she had called him here.

“Is there anything you don’t like? I’ve already made a seafood course reservation, but I can change it, so just let me know.”

“It’s okay. I don’t have any particular food preferences.”

“That’s good. I was worried because I have a secret love or hate for seafood.”

It felt refreshing, perhaps because she had never heard Enrico say such things before. Enrico was the type who ordered everything as if his only purpose was to feed her, and he wasn’t particularly curious about her preferences.

Come to think of it, even when they ate at the duke’s house, Enrico’s table was always fancy. It was filled with dishes that seemed to focus more on appearance, and he just ate like someone who was consuming nutrients, as if he didn’t care much about taste.

“Do you drink alcohol?”

“No.”

“Oh, you don’t enjoy it? Or can’t you drink it?”

Oh, I asked about alcohol. Enrico had never offered her alcohol since he first heard her say she couldn’t drink.

He even showed his consideration by preparing other drinks, but he never asked her why she didn’t drink. It felt like he was just like that.

He just asked once because there was alcohol in front of him, but he didn’t really care about the reason, which seemed similar to his personality of focusing only on the surface and not delving deep into the inside.

“I don’t know if you can’t drink because I’ve never had it, but I’m sure you don’t enjoy alcohol.”

“I see. Then, if you feel interested later, try liquor with low alcohol content first. There are many sweet liquors that barely have an alcoholic flavor.”

“Yes, I will.”

Emilia nodded once and continued.

“But may I ask why you wanted to see me?”

I thought he might have finished his food like Enrico and opened his mouth, so I asked first.

“Oh, my story has gotten a bit long. Thank you for accepting my call first.”

Fortunately, Alessandro didn’t seem to be thinking of dragging his worries out that far. Emilia swallowed a sigh of relief at his attitude of getting down to business right away and leaned forward slightly.

Alessandro’s eyes softened at Emilia’s attitude, which clearly showed her curiosity.

With his thick facial features and typical handsome face, he might seem stiff, but Alessandro usually had a gentle face, so he didn’t seem particularly cold.

“Honestly, I didn’t know I would meet you at a masquerade ball. “As your uncle’s partner.”

“Ah… … . That’s because circumstances came up.”

“I’m not trying to pry. I just thought it was strange. But as I watched, I noticed that you seemed more interested in Count Vallemont than in my uncle, so I spoke to you just in case.” How

could you notice me in such a short time? It seems that you were staring at Count Vallemont too openly.

“I don’t know if this is what you’re curious about, but what I’ll tell you is that Viscount Giorgio Este and Count Sebas Vallemont met.”

“With my uncle?”

How could someone who lived in the countryside become acquainted with a count who only lived in the capital? Emilia frowned.

“Yes. It was a long time ago, but I saw Count Vallemont and Viscount Giorgio Este talking. I was just passing by at the time and didn’t think much of it, so I forgot about it, but when I heard their conversation yesterday, I remembered that Viscount and his wife had invested in a car while they were alive, and it bothered me a little.”

“How about that… … .”

“The reason you came to the palace with me as a child was because of an investment. I think you were investing in cars at that time, and I remember there was talk of patents.”

“Ah… … .”